Garbage truck



Nov. 8, i949 v. BALBI I 7,4m

GARBAGE TRUCK A* Filed Jan. 5, 1948 INVENTOR. V14 L E/vr//VQLBALB/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARBAGE TRUCK Valentino L. Balbi, South San Francisco, Calif. Application January 5,f194s, serial No. 597 1 claim. (ci. 214-833) This invention relates to improvements in garbage trucks, and more particularly to improved loading means therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved garbage or refuse truck having a loading hopper mounted in a convenient position at its forward end, and reciprocating means mounted in the hopper for forcing the refuse material from the hopper into the truck.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel loading means for truck bodies, embodying a loading hopper mounted in a convenient position exteriorly of and at one side of the truck body, the said hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the interior of the truck body through which refuse may be forced into the body by a power operated reciprocating pusher.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appended claims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of the application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a garbage truck representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for purpose of illustration relates particularly to an improved combinationI by which refuse may be automatically transferred from a hopper into an associated truck body.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a garbage truck having my invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the loading hopper, showing the means associated therewith for transferring material from the hopper into the truck body.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates a truck chassis mounted in the usual manner on wheels 2. The truck is propelled in the usual manner by an engine positioned -forwardly of the drivers cab 3.

Pivotally connected as at 4 to the rear end of the chassis I is a sub-frame 5 upon which is mounted an open truck body 6. The truck body has a bed 'I, enclosing front and lateral sides 8 and a pivoted rear end or gate 9 which may embody any one of a number of different constructions. In the particular embodiment shown on the drawings the rear end 9 of the truck body is pivotally connected at its upper end to the lateral sides 8, ,and when the said body is tilted (shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1) to cause the discharge of the contents of the truck body, the said rear end automatically assumes an open position. Latch means I0 normally holds the rear end 9 in a closed position so the contents of the truck body cannot normallyescape therefrom. The truck is provided in the usual manner with flights nf steps I I and I2 positioned behind the drivers cab 3 which permit the operators or loaders to manually carry refuse into positions where it can be lifted over the front end of the truck body and deposited therein when the automatic loading means is not operating. However, by utilizing my invention, the steps are not ordinarily used, except in emergencies. l

Secured to the truck body 6 or to the tiltable sub-frame 5 is a receiving or loading hopper I3 for holding refuse, garbage or other material deposited therein for subsequent transference into the truck body. The receiving hopper is provided with a charging opening and the said hopper is positioned externally of the truck body and forwardly of the front side thereof. It extends beneath the bed 'I of the truck body and is preferably positioned at one side of the steps I2. The hopper is so arranged that garbage, refuse or other material can be conveniently deposited into its top opening by a person standing on the side- Walk adjacent the street upon which the truck is operating. In the bed 'I of the truck, at the particular front corner which is positioned directly behind the hopper I3, there is provided an /inlet opening 'I' through which material from the hopper is transferred. An inclined bottom member I4 forming a rear extension of the bottom side of the chopper provides a guiding support for the material as it is pushed rearwardly from the hopper through the inlet'opening 1 in the bed of the truck body.

Fitting inside the hopper and arranged for backward and forward reciprocating movement is a pusher element I5 which is adapted to reciprocate from a position near the frontend of the hopper to a point toward the rear of the latter. A reciprocating piston I6 connected as at II to the pusher element I5 is mounted in an elongated casing `or cylinder I8. Fluid under suitable pressure from a source of supply is alternately admitted to the opposite ends of the cylinder I8 by means of a hand control valve I9, thereby causing the piston I6 and the pusher element I5 to reciprocate backwardly and` forwardly. The pusher elements movement is controlled by the operator, thus when the hopper is being loaded the said element is in its extreme forward position. When the contents of the hopper are to be transferred to the inside of the truck body the control valve AI 9 ismanipulated to pause the piston and the pusher element to be moved rearwardly. The contents of the hopper are forced rearwardly, through the inlet opening I and into the truck body.

The hydraulic cylinder ,JB is shown `for illustration purposes as being mounted at a side ofthe hopper, but it is to be understood thatfutherearn rangements equally as satisfactory may [be made. When the hydraulic cylinder I8 is positioned -at the side of the hopper fa slot is provided in the *latterS-side Vfor fthe Irnoven'ient yo1 'the connecting element `1I'I. -In `the event the lhydraulic `cylinder 'I8 is mounted forwardly 4of fthe lhopper the con- `nesting element :ITI vextends througha holefin the front end -of 4the-said hopper.

The -usual `'reservoir or "other source of supply for ythe pressure ffluid as `well as the Aconnections and `-va'lve 'means associated therewith have not `been illustrated since these yelements yare lwell known Iin the vart `and -do -not Yfor-m any 'part Yof the present invention.

The `refuse material floaded y"in Lthe truck fbed-y is ordinarily of 'suc-ha consistency ithat ifit will be sufficiently ycompressed near :the Vopening rto `'avoid its return to the 1hopper yduring the Jsucceeding l35 m3935132 forward movement of the vpus`her-element I5.

10 forming a :discharge opening yfor the hopper, a.

pusher element tting in the'hopper and mounted for reciprocating movement toward and from the said discharge opening, whereby when the said :element is moved in one direction to one end of its Ieciprocatory movement the hopper may be loaded "with refuse and when moved in the opposite direction the .refuse may be forced from the hopper through the discharge opening in the hopper f and 'into the body, means for reciprocating the pusher element and a l.rigid connecting member v s'l-idably extending through-it-he 'longitudinal :slot

4in 4a :side :of the 'hopper and :arranged sperative connected relationship zto both the pusher element and I.the pusher ireciprocatingmeans.

VALENTINO L. BALBI.

REFERENCES LCITED 'The 'following references 'are of record :in the le of this patent:

UNITED JSTATSES PATENTS 'Number Name Date "1,9965'945 -Ballert Apr. 9, 1935I 2,050,806 Rey Aug. l11,'1-986 Balbi Jan. 29, 1946 

